Church Street Refurbishment

Fundraising Fortnight

Fundraising to enable the Charity to refurbish the Barton's Hospital almshouses is progressing so well that we are within sight of reaching our target. In addition to a large repayable loan, we have received grants and donations from charitable trusts and organisations and we need just a few thousand pounds more.

Fundraising Fortnight runs from Monday 20th March to Saturday 1st April. We will be collecting in various Buckingham shops and locations during that period.

Please come and meet us on the morning of Saturday 25th March, when we will be selling home-made cakes at Christ's Hospital in the High Street.

Webmaster updated 18/02/2017

Background

Fundraising is under way, with over 70% of the projected costs now raised (as at April 2016) for the extension and refurbishment of the Barton’s Hospital Almshouses in Church Street, Buckingham.The charity successfully updated and refurbished Christ’s Hospital Almshouses in central Buckingham in 2014. The Trustees now wish to do the same for the Church Street almshouses. The charity plans to extend the properties to create six one-bedroom apartments to replace the current 6 bedsits, which will meet all modern standards particularly in relation to energy efficiency.

The Church Street almshouses were founded in 1431 by John Barton (Senior, the elder of two brothers named John, a successful lawyer). The accommodation housed six poor persons who were given a groat a week. After the Dissolution, the almshouses were reinstated by Mrs Dayrel, whose family had probably acquired them from the Crown.

Barton’s Hospital Almshouses were rebuilt in 1701; the current building dates from the late 19th century and it has an inscription stone dating it from 1910. The properties have been extended in a piecemeal fashion since then. They remain available to house six local persons in need and the Trustees seek to provide them as truly affordable accommodation.

Buckingham has a long history of almshouse provision. Christ’s Hospital was reinstated by Queen Elizabeth I in 1597 and it is situated near the site of St Lawrence Hospital, which was probably a facility for lepers, dating from 1312. Christ’s Hospital appears to have been funded by Buckingham’s wool trade and its two fairs.